Can't Make You Love Me
by NerdyPenguin96
Summary: Helga is forced to deal with Arnold and Lila being a new couple and Phoebe has the best way to do so. Song-fic Don't own Hey Arnold or Can't Make You Love Me.


Helga looked around the dark karaoke café. It had been a hard week for her after news of Arnold and Lila's relationship had gone public in her high school. She wanted to be supportive of him but she still felt betrayed and heartbroken.

Phoebe had taken her to the karaoke place in order to cheer Helga up but it seemed almost impossible but she also believed that singing about the situation would help her best friend. Phoebe had heard Helga sing in sixth grade and knew that her voice was amazing but her blonde haired friend just shrugged it off and claimed it was "too Olga" for her to even think of doing in public. The PS 118 group were now in high school in their senior year and they were preparing to apply to colleges and think about the future.

All Helga had been thinking about was Arnold.

The current singer had just finished their song and all of a sudden Helga's name was announced. She would have glared at phoebe and yelled but she knew her friend was worried about her and thought that this would help.

She was now standing on the stage looking at each and every person and taking in their features. Her nerves were beginning to get the better of her until she looked at phoebe who smiled encouragingly as she prepared to listen to Helga. She took a deep breath before she moved closer to the microphone.

_Turn down the lights  
Turn down the bed  
Turn down these voices inside my head_

She had been internally arguing about whether she should support him or be heartbroken and she was getting sick of it.

_Lay down with me, tell me no lies,_

_Just hold me close, don't patronize_

_Don't patronize me._

She longed for him to just realise that the FTI incident was her being honest and that it wasn't a childish crush. It was love for her.

_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't  
You can't make your heart feel something it won't  
Here in the dark, in these final hours  
I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power  
But you won't, no you won't  
Cause I can't make you love me if you don't._

She was tired of craving his love and approval. She was tired of loving someone who would probably never return her feelings. She would give up her obsession and then she would be able to control her emotions again. There was nothing else she could do but just give up in her eyes.

She closed her eyes as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She was emotionally drained after all of this heartbreak.

_I'll close my eyes cause then I won't see  
The love you don't feel when you're home with me  
Morning will come and I'll do what's right  
Just give me till then to give up this fight  
And I will give up this fight_

She knew that he loved Lila with all his heart and even when she had tried to get him to notice her she knew he didn't feel anything but friendship towards her if you could even call it that. She knew that by tomorrow she would need to give up this love in order to do what was best for him but it would still hurt her to stop fighting.

_Cause I can't make you love me if you don't  
You can't make your heart feel something it won't  
Here in the dark, in these final hours  
I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power  
But you won't, no you won't_

_'Cause I can't make you love me_

She had tried again and again but there was nothing she could do. There was no way for him to return her feelings.

_When you don't_

As she begun to sing the last line she put in all the pent up emotions of a fifteen year love as more tears trickled down her cheeks. He didn't love her. He loved Lila. She would have to give him up.

_When you don't _

The audience clapped as Helga came off the stage and was greeted by Phoebe who knew how much that song had meant for her best friend. She had wished that Arnold would have loved her back by now but it wasn't happening. She hated seeing her friend in pain but she hoped that after singing that song she would be able to move on and be happy.

Helga could barely see through the tears but she actually felt relieved somehow. She was done with craving approval and could actually move on with her life and be happy.


End file.
